The Order of the Cross of the Eagle ( et, Kotkaristi teenetemärk; french: Ordre de la Croix de l'Aigle) was instituted in 1928 by the

Estonian Defence League The Estonian Defence League ( et, Eesti Kaitseliit) is the name of the unified paramilitary armed forces of the Republic of Estonia. The Defence League is a paramilitary A paramilitary is an organization whose structure, tactics, training, ...

to commemorate the tenth anniversary of

Estonia Estonia, formally the Republic of Estonia, is a country by the Baltic Sea in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by the sea across from Sweden, to the south by Latvia, a ...

n independence. It was adopted as a state order in 1936. The Order of the Cross of the Eagle is bestowed to give recognition for military services and services in the field of national defence. It is awarded in civil and military divisions. The awards made to members of the military are denoted by the addition of crossed swords to the decoration.

Classes

The Order of the Cross of the Eagle comprises eight classes: * Five basic classes - 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th class; * Three medal classes - crosses in gold, silver and iron; The crosses of all the classes of the Order of the Cross of the Eagle have the same design. The colour tone of the orange moiré ribands belonging to the decorations of all the classes of the Order of the Cross of the Eagle is determined according to the international

PANTONE Pantone LLC (stylized as PANTONE) is a limited liability company headquartered in Carlstadt, New Jersey. The company is best known for its Pantone Matching System (PMS), a proprietary color space used in a variety of industries, notably graphic ...

colour-table as 137 MC. The Order of the Cross of the Eagle is a military decoration if two crossed swords are affixed to it as follows: *The cross has crossed swords movably attached at the hilts of the swords to the tips of the top arms of the cross. The length of the swords together with their hilts is 35 mm for the 1st, 2nd and 3rd class decorations and 33 mm for the 4th and 5th class decorations and the gold, silver and iron crosses; *The star has crossed swords affixed to the oblique rays of the star and the vertical and horizontal rays remain uncovered. The swords are set hilts down. The length of each sword is 85 mm. The medals of the affiliated crosses of the Order of the Cross of the Eagle have swords in the same metal as their cross.Decorations Act
Decorations of the Republic of Estonia, 12-19-2007.

Gallery

File:EST Order of the Cross of the Eagle 1st class badge.jpg, 1st Class of the Order of the Cross of the Eagle File:EST Order of the Cross of the Eagle 2nd class badge.jpg, 2nd Class of the Order of the Cross of the Eagle File:EST Order of the Cross of the Eagle 3rd class badge.jpg, 3rd Class of the Order of the Cross of the Eagle File:EST Order of the Cross of the Eagle 4th class badge.jpg, 4th Class of the Order of the Cross of the Eagle File:EST Order of the Cross of the Eagle 5th class badge.jpg, 5th Class of the Order of the Cross of the Eagle

References

External links

List of recipients
{{Estonian state decorations Orders, decorations, and medals of Estonia Awards established in 1928 1928 establishments in Estonia *